Sometimes there are groups of students who capture your heart as you capture their minds. This year, while my students may not be Einsteins, they have a heart of gold. It does happen every now and then. The last group of students who made me feel like this are now graduating seniors at their local high schools. This year, the kids have been amazingly kind and well mannered. Now to get them to have the hunger for more knowledge is the last piece to my puzzle. I don’t have much time. The school year ends at the beginning of June. The FCAT, statewide Reading test, isn’t my primary goal. Getting them to think on their own, use critical thinking skills, love novels and understand themselves is more important.
What makes these kids different than the previous year?
It’s in their heart. For example, a group of young female students gave me one of the best Christmas gifts ever. After hearing over and over about my crush on Criminal Minds’ actor, Shemar Moore, they gave me this:
What more could I ask for?
If that wasn’t enough, when I returned from NMX another student gave me this card:
I’m one happy chica!
My other gifts were amazing as well. Perfume, candles, Starbucks gift card, homemade cards (I LOVE THOSE!) and other goodies made me feel loved and appreciated.
These past two weeks, I’ve stayed late after class which is very rare for me. I did it because I wanted to do it.
Too many of students were becoming content with earning a “C” in my class. I couldn’t believe it. It was more shocking to realize that parents were becoming content with a “C” as well. Don’t they want more for their precious ones?
Has our society become so depressed that earning a “C” in core classes is like reaching the top? I hope not. Our country can’t afford any more mediocre people.
Their futures can’t afford it either.
I’m going to do my best now to give them the skills to build a better future.
Teaching isn’t only about teaching the subject. It’s about tapping into the unknown part of a student’s potential and watching it blossom.